Shadow
by Anna-Hime
Summary: My first CloTi Fanfiction! Tifa finds her place in this world, but has she found someone to take her heart? There's only one man she wishes, so she sings for him.
1. A piece in my heart

"_**A Piece in my heart"**_

She knew who she had written this beloved song to. Her first and only love. Tifa Lockheart wrote her last word and put her pencil down. She read over the song she wrote and sighed. How will she ever show what she feels? '_I wish I can, but he's gone...' _She thought desperately. She heard a small knock and felt someone come in. It was Yuffie.

It has been two years since the meteor was destroyed Midgar. It's still being remodeled, ever since Reeve took matter into his own hands and became new president of ShinRa. It has also been two years since Cloud Strife had left his friends. No note. Nothing. The thought destroyed Tifa's heart and she was never the same again with her friends. Tifa had been living in a big house Barret had constructed back at Corel. The town had built a small bar for her convenience. It was the only thing that she found homey and better. There was still a piece missing in her heart.

"Tif? Come out, dinner is ready! Everyone is waiting to eat after you come out!" she said sticking her hear through the door. Tifa had her back to Yuffie and gave her a simple, "I'm not hungry."

"Aww come on! The food smells great! Cid is already starting to get angry!!" Tifa noticed Yuffie wasn't lying. She could hear Cid yelling loud curses at the table. Yuffie sighed and came in, and closed the door behind her. Yuffie sat next to her and noticed the small notebook with written words on it and picked it up from the bedside table.

"What's this?" She asked. Tifa looked over to her.

"It's...something I wrote. Nothing special." Yuffie was reading over the notebook and looked back to Tifa.

"Wow this is nice! Is this a song?" she asked amazed. Tifa gave her a small nod, "Hey! You can sing?!"

"A little."

"Cool! Can you sing it for me?!!? Pretty pretty please?!?!" Tifa now regretted she said she did sing. She shook her head no and Yuffie gave her a big sigh.

"Is this still about Cloud Tif? You know that if he left you like that, he's just being a big jerk who doesn't care about anyone!" Yuffie felt Tifa's weird twitch when she said that about cloud and hesitated, "Well. You never know...he might come back before you know it!"

"I've been waiting for him for about two years Yuffie. He's not coming back."

* * *

Cloud Strife stared up at the sky, with a strong stab of guilt. Knowing he had betrayed Aeris, he had also betrayed his friends by leaving. He decided to never forgive himself. He love Aeris, but something else was missing in his heart. There he was, at the temple of the ancients, where it once was, all destroyed. He was on his knees, hoping for a sign.

"Who...am I? What am I?" he asked himself over and over. He doesn't know who he is. Is he really Cloud Strife? Or is he just a replica of Sephiroth? He couldn't tell what he was. His conscience was killing him.

He was grieving for Aeris, trying to find her. He closed his eyes and thoughts began to run his mind.

"Where are you Aeris, I need you more than ever." he sighed and bowed his head down just relaxing his thoughts. Thinking about how much of a bad person he is, for a person who can't even tell if he's real or not.

"I betrayed you, our friends...and...Tifa..." right when he mentioned his childhood friend's name, there was something he realized. _She _was there all along. _She_ helped him from that coma. _She _helped him out when he was trying to get over Aeris. _She_ convinced him that when you lose something precious, there's always something out there that will become even more precious. That _she_ was Tifa.

He realized that even when Aeris was alive, there was still that Tifa that helped him go through all his pain. Her bright and beautiful mind always made him think positive. It was something he always loved, and always wanted to thank her for that.

'_I never even thanked her, I just...left her.' _he thought.

'She was that shining light...whenever it was dark for me. She cured my conscience when I needed it. After Aeris died, he noticed...Tifa was that piece missing in his heart all along, and he left her.

"Tifa..."

* * *

"I'm really not a great singer Barret." said Tifa, and Marlene scowled and gave her a big 'Hrrmph!!'

"Please, you sing beautifully!" Marlene said crossing her arms. Barret put his huge hand on his daughter's shoulder.

"I agree with what she said!" Tifa shook her head and sighed. She knew this song was for Cloud. She wasn't going to use this song as a form of entertainment for 'Friday night Idol' night at her bar. She knew about her hidden talent, but she couldn't sing that song to everyone, it was for her one love, no one else.

"Sorry guys...I cant." she said in a mere whisper.


	2. Dedication

"_**Dedication"**_

"Oh but why?!?" shrilled Marlene, shouting, jumping up and down.

"Because...it's personal...I want to keep things for me." she said bowing her head down. Marlene tilted her head to the side frowning. Tifa wanted to sing. It was her only hidden talent but she didn't want to sing this specific song to the crowd, but it was the only song she would sing.

"But you like singing right?"

"Yes," she confessed, "But...not like this."

"What do you mean 'not like this?' I love your voice and especially this song! So sing! And have fun with it! You really don't have to tell the people it's for Cloud! It doesn't have his name on it! You wrote it!!" Marlene exclaimed. Barret looked confused, and somewhat angry, just of the mention of Cloud.

"You're 'tellin me all this shit is about his spiky headed ass!?" Said Barret looking at a hurt Tifa. He embraced his brunette friend tightly.

"I guess its 'gonna be all right Tif."

"I hope so." They broke apart and Tifa sniffled her tears away and bent down to look straight at Marlene and smiled.

"You want me to sing this song?" she asked politely. A hyper Marlene jumped up and down.

"Well you know it's my birthday and I'm the princess for the day and you have to do whatever I say!!!" Tifa felt a little better. She now felt like she needed to sing and it was really now or never. She looked up at Barret and gave him a small nod.

"Can I go introduce you now? You'll be on in like 15 minutes, right after Cid's comedic performance." Before Tifa could sputter out "Cid?!?!" Marlene interrupted, "He's making a dummy talk!! And I gots a performance dress just for you!! Follow me!!" Marlene pulled Tifa's hand and pulled her to the dressing room. Marlene pulled out a knee-length sparkly blue dress and handed it to her.

"Here!!"

Minutes later, it was Tifa's turn. She heard Barret introduce her and she walked up on stage people cheering for her. She knew most people at the bar, all the local people. She felt even more welcomed and better,

"This song...I'm about to sing...is called "Shadow" It's...dedicated for..--" She stopped and smiled, "Marlene's birthday." She couldn't' say it's for Cloud, for some reason. She started getting flashbacks of the times her and Cloud spent together while she started singing.

_Your body warms but you are not,_

_You give a little not a...lot,_

_You coup your love until we kiss,_

_You're all I want but not like this,_

Cloud and Tifa were both sitting at the well. Alive and young, They were talking about a recent event. Cloud had confessed to Tifa he was going to join SOLDIER and become greater than the great Sephiroth.

"All our boys are leaving to Midgar..."

"Yeah." he responded to her.

'_If you only knew I'm going just for you..' _wandered in Cloud's mind. Tifa looked down kicking her feet in the air.

"Cloud?"

"Yeah?"

"Promise me something." Cloud looked at Tifa's crimson eyes and nodded at her, with a small smile.

_I'm watching you disappear,_

_But you, you were never here_

_Its only your shadow,_

_Never yourself_

_Its only your shadow,_

_Nobody else_

_Its only your shadow, filling the room,_

_Arriving too late and leaving too soon....and leaving too soon..._

"You'll be like a hero out to save me, I've always wanted to experience that." Tifa swooned, smiling dreamily. Cloud smiled at her enjoying her beauty. He was sitting next to her and turned his head to her,

"I promise."

"Thanks..." while Cloud had the strong urge to kiss her, she seemed like she also did too. He saw her lean in a bit and hesitated. This was Tifa, the girl he always liked, and her father didn't even like him. This kiss would change their lives forever. _'God she's beautiful.'_

"I'd...rather not. Sorry Tifa..." he said when their lips were like a millimeter apart.

_Your body gives, _

_but then holds back._

_The sun is bright _

_The sky is black._

_Can only be another sign,_

_I cannot keep what isn't mine._

_You left and it lingers on,_

_But you, you were almost gone..._

Cloud and Tifa had nowhere to go. All their friends went to say goodbye to their families, because of the result of their upcoming death upon meteor. They had Nibelhiem, but that was all gone, all because of Sephiroth. The great Sephiroth.

Both sat together in deep thought. Tifa knew how much she loved him, and they were alone. She had the strong urge to tell him how much she loved him, but she couldn't. Another reason that tempted her was Aeris. She felt that he loved her. Her eyes misted a bit while she was sleeping, until she heard his voice.

"It's almost morning..." she felt him tap her shoulder. She wanted to last forever on his shoulder.

"Just...a little longer."

_Its only your shadow,_

_Never yourself_

_Its only your shadow,_

_Nobody else_

_Its only your shadow, filling the room,_

_Arriving too late and leaving too soon....and leaving too soon..._

She smiled at the crowd, her eyes turning watery. She examined the crowd...they looked eager for more...

_I cannot tell if you mean what you say,_

_You say it so loud but you sound far away,_

_Maybe I had just a glimpse of your soul,_

_Or was that your shadow I saw on the wall?_

_I'm watching you disapear,_

_But you, you were never here _

_Its only your shadow,_

_Never yourself_

_Its only your shadow,_

_Nobody else_

_Its only your shadow,_

_filling the room,_

_Arriving too late...and leaving too...soon...oooh..._

_Its only your shadow..._

The song ended and it resulted in loud cheers and heavy applause. She responded in a small 'Thank you' and headed backstage. She ran to the nearest chair and sat there with her face buried in her hands, crying. While she sang the song, she remembered all the times she had with Cloud, which made her even worse.

"That...was a great song." said a voice backstage. Tifa wanted to be alone, she didn't want anyone to bother her.

"Thanks." she said still hiding her face from the man. The song hit her way too hard.

"you have a beautiful voice." said the man again. She wanted him to go away. She wanted to be by herself. Sitting on her chair, she cried, "Thanks."

"Can I..-"

"Please go away sir I don....-" she interrupted. She couldn't believe her eyes when she noticed who it was. Those mako-infested eyes could never trick her.

"Oh...my..."

"God?" he finished with a slight smile.

"Yes.." she cried, giving a small sniffle. He walked up to her.

"C-Cloud??" Tifa asked getting up from her chair, looking straight at his sapphire blue eyes. She ran her hand across his cheek softly.

"Yes." she had no other choice, and hugged him tightly for her life. She finally had him in her arms.

"You...came."

"Yeah, and I'm so sorry for leaving you the way I did. I wanted to find myself, but I realized I couldn't find myself without you by my side. All this time I thought I had a piece in my heart and it was you Tifa. I realized my strong feelings for you, and I...love...you." and with that, Tifa couldn't hide her feelings from him.

"I've always loved you, even though I thought I could never have you." She said, bowing her head down. Cloud lifted her chin with his hands and smiled.

"Now you have me..." The blonde replied with a smile, and sealed it with a kiss.


End file.
